Wild ARMs 3 Chapter 1
by Matt Coates
Summary: The first Chapter of Wild ARMs 3.
1. Late Night Train Ride

**Wild ARMs 3**

Chapter 1:

**The planet Filgaia is slowly rotting, it's once lush vegetation withering away.**

**As if that wasn't enough, all sorts of predators roam the desert and prey on innocent travelers.**

**Yet there are some willing to brave this wasteland to seek their fortunes.**

**Those folks are known as 'Drifters.' **

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Virginia felt her heart pause as the three other Drifters confronted each other. As she slowly reached for her own ARMs, there was a massive explosion. A large part of the roof collapsed, causing them all to look up.

"What now?" Tony groaned.

"I think someone's up on the roof," Virginia replied.

"Yes, I must agree," the gunman with the long, brown coat, long barreled ARM, glasses and green hair replied, "I believe this may be the culprit who activated the emergency brakes. Would someone like to volunteer to go up and investigate?

"You're joking, right?" the dark guy in the yellow Baskar clothes asked. Virginia tried to stop herself staring at his unusually large lips. "Don't look at me. I'm not as naive as to turn my back to a stranger."

"Very well, then." the gunman said. "I shall take the lead. But, please escort the young lady on your way up." He started towards the hole in the ceiling. After a second, the others followed.

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Virginia suppressed a yelp as the Baskar hauled her up onto the roof. As she turned, Virginia realized that their little group was being confronted by three men.

"Heh…" the red-jacketed, blue haired robber said, resting on an ARM with a huge bayonet on the end. "Looks like we've got company. You guys sure don't look like guardsmen to me. Who are you anyway? And you punk… Didn't I see you kick in the window and break into the cabin? Don't tell me you blokes are all Drifters going after the same treasure." Virginia noticed that the Baskar and the white haired boy glanced away from each other guiltily at this. The gunman aimed his ARM at the trio of thieves carefully.

"Yes," he said, "we have been hired to guard the treasure." Then he muttered "At least that holds true for me." He coughed, and continued in a louder tone. "We're here to protect the goods from ruffians such as yourselves, and deliver the goods to their rightful owner. I would ask you to withdraw quietly. I would like to avoid any bloodshed and unnecessary expense if it is at all possible." The robber waved a finger.

"We welcome unnecessary bloodshed!" he exclaimed. "And we're not paying the expenses! Once we take care of business here, there's a hefty reward waiting to roll in! We don't have time to play!" One of the others, a yellow haired hooligan glanced away into the distance.

"I'd like to avoid the unnecessary bloodshed part, though," he muttered. The robber backhand his ARM into the hooligan's face. The hooligan clutched his nose in agony.

"I wonder who they're working for?" Virginia whispered to herself.

"You're very sharp," the gunman congratulated quietly, "by the way, how's your shooting?"

"I'll do my best," Virginia replied equally quietly.

"Glad to hear. I'll be counting on you," he turned to the others. "And you two... I ask for your assistance as well."

"What are you plotting?" the robber, who Virginia was beginning to take a serious dislike to. "So are you planning to bite the dust, or bite the bullet and face us?" He took out and examined a pocket watch. "Listen, time is money. Let's get this started already."

"B-Boss…" the bearded man, the third member of the party, interrupted panicky. "We're one short without Lucio, you know. I don't think we should bite off more then we can chew."

"You blokes just do as I say!" the robber shouted, "or do you have a problem with that? You want to end up dead like Lucio? Psyche yourselves up! Shut your fly, Dario! Be a man, Romero! Janus Cascade… Ready to wreak havoc… Assume positions!" The group split up and tried to surround Virginia and the others, not an easy task given how confined the top of a train carriage was.

"How did I get myself into this?" the Basker complained, "I mean we just met two seconds ago, and now we're all buddy teaming up together. I mean, c'mon! Hey, is anybody listening to me?" Virginia turned to him.

"Stop rambling!" she replied. "We have to work together."

"Yes, ma'am…" the Baskar replied quietly. With a roar of gunpowder and bullets, battle was joined between the two groups.

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"Tch…" the robber Janus tutted. "We're out of time" He muttered something Virginia didn't catch. "Not bad, Princess. Why don't you quit that measly little team and come and join us?"

"Thanks, but no thanks," Virginia sneered, "I don't hang out with thugs."

"Thugs?" Janus asked. "Lighten up, Princess. We're all Drifter's here. Aren't we? My, my… would you look at the time, it's time for us to bid adieu. See you soon…"

"We're not through with you yet! Virginia shouted back, even as a train's horn blew in the distance. "Hmm? What's that noise?" As she looked back, she spotted a train passing by on the lower track to the right. As it passed the stationary train, Janus and his band suddenly leaped off the train…and landed safely on the last car of the second train. Virginia ran to the car edge in time to see them fade into the distance.

"So long princess!" Janus' voice drifted back. "See you around." Virginia scowled as the train vanished into the distance.

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Virginia climbed down from the train. When she turned around, she saw Tony handing the crate from the cargo carriage to the gunman.

"My apologies for all the trouble," he apologized to Tony. "Please report any damages to my client. I shall arrange it so that you shall be compensated." As Tony climbed back onto the train, Virginia walked over to him.

"That's the box with all that mysterious light, right?" she asked. "What was that anyway? That light… It had some kind of warmth to it. Those thugs were after the light source, right?"

"What you saw young lady," the Baskar explained from behind her, "was the sparkle of the Ark Scepter. It's a sacred artifact that allows you to communicate with the power that sustains the world."

"The power that sustains the world?" Virginia repeated in realization. "So that's what they were after…" There was a blast of steam, and the train started up and headed on down the track.

"There it goes…" Virginia murmured. "It sure was a stormy night, wasn't it?"

"So this is what I get for helpin' out…" the white haired guy muttered. "Stuck in the middle of nowhere." He kicked at the ground, sending up a small cloud of dust.

"We seemed to have missed our stop while taking care of business…" the gunman said.

"Okay… What now?" Virginia asked.

"I need to deliver the goods to my client. It should be within walking distance of here." Clive replied. He turned to the Baskar. "I believe you might know where that is."

"Uhh… well… Yeah, I guess…" The Baskar admitted, hesitantly. "Go northwest of here to a small village at the foot of the mountains. It's a place called Baskar. It's actually my hometown. Although I should add that I don't really feel like returning there."

"Well, since we're all here," Virginia pointed out, "waddaya say we all go together!"

"I was just in it for the ride" the white haired guy said, and hesitated, "…but… It's not a bad idea to reap the rewards. Gotta cash in when you can."

"Let's see… Where shall we begin?" Virginia mused, and then realized that she had never heard her new friends' names. "I know! Let's introduce ourselves."

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Legal Notes: Wild ARMs 3 and the associated charactersand storybelongs to Media Vision/Contrail. I have no intention of gaining any money from this document.


	2. Meeting the Guardians

Virginia glanced around as they entered Baskar

"So this is Gallows' hometown…" she murmured.

"Also known as Baskar Colony," added Clive (the gunman), "where the people believe in the powers that sustain the world, the guardians." Virginia glanced over at Jet, surprised at his lack of reaction.

"You sure don't react much…" she said. Jet glanced away.

"Well," Clive said, "I must go finish my assignment." He turned to Gallows. "Would you mind introducing me to a lady named Halle? She is the one who assigned me the task of delivering the Ark Scepter."

"Who, me?" Gallows asked, pointing at himself in shock. "Introduce you to Granny? I ran away from here three months ago! Everyone thinks I'm dead!"

"B-Brother?" called a young boy, running out from one of the houses. Virginia watched in surprise as Gallows cringed. "You're home! This is like a dream come true! I did not even foresee this in my dream sight! Although Grandmother did say you would be home soon. She was absolutely right!"

"So… He is family?" Clive asked. "As well as Halle?"

"Oh, man…" Gallows clapped a hand to his face.

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"Yes, that's the Ark Scepter all right," Halle nodded in appreciation as Clive handed over the box. "A job well done. Here is your reward, and a little extra--just to show my appreciation. Go on, take it." Virginia raised her eyes as Halle handed over a money bag. Was sure that there was more then a thousand gella. "Looks like I caused you more trouble then you bargained for. Not only did you deliver the Ark Scepter, you also bought home my incompetent grandson."

"Hey," Gallows said startled, "leave me outta this. It was just a coincidence that I cam home."

"Not necessarily," Clive admitted. "She did mention I might also have to deliver a troublesome package. I had no idea that package would be you until now."

"I figured robbers and thugs would jump at the Ark Scepter if I released information about its transport," Halle explained. "And that this boy would go after it, too. I never imagined it would be this easy."

"I should've known…" Gallows scowled in reply. "You and your dirty tricks, Granny. But tell me this… If you just wanted me back here, does that mean I've had the real Ark Scepter all along? And the one we delivered fake?"

"…" Halle just looked at Gallows stunned for a second, before shaking her head.

"I'm back," Shane said as he walked. Virginia raised her eyebrows in surprise. He was holding two more Ark Scepters.

"Oh, you are so pitiful…" Halle said to Gallows. She took a moment to compose herself. "Listen well. The Ark Scepter you took, the one transported by train, and the two over there… All four of them are genuine Ark Scepters. Gallows… Don't tell me you thought there was only one Ark Scepter in this world. Your lack of discipline for your studies is atrocious. I thought I had taught that to you and Shane…" Gallows turned to Shane

"Is that true?" he asked. Shane nodded in reply.

"The Ark Scepter is a staff," Halle explained, "which can transmit and receive willpower. In other words, it is a sacred artifact used to communicate with guardians. There are a total number of four Ark Scepters in this world. They were enshrined at various places that worship guardians, but are gathered here now. The bearer of the Ark Scepter is capable of sensing the presence of the spiritual guardians. Which means he or she is capable of materializing and utilizing the power of guardians in this world. The bearer of the Ark Scepter has the right to use the power of the guardian. But the bearer also has the right to kill the guardian…"

"Huh?" Virginia said, startled.

"Shall we go for a walk?" Halle asked. "I'll continue my story then."

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Virginia glanced around as they entered the cave in the cliff at the back of the village. It was some kind of alter, dedicated to the worship of the guardians of Filgaia. Halle strode up the stairs to the alter, turned and faced them.

"The Ark Scepter made it to the colony safely, away from the hands of villains," Halle started. "Thanks to all of you, that is. But I do have a new mission I would like to ask of you."

"You want us to kill the guardians?" Virginia asked, remembering Halle's earlier comment.

"Not exactly…" Halle replied, and turned to Shane who was standing beside her.

"I have been training hard to become a priest, and in the past year or so…" Shane said. "I developed a special ability where I can foresee future events through my dreams. It is called dream sight. Through this legendary supernatural power, I was forewarned of the following apocalypse. A blue shadow will rise from the ancient dead on our planet, Filgaia. The resurrected blue shadow will wield a sharp, cold sparkle that will eat away the planet. People, animals and other life-forms will be devoured, and eventually Filgaia itself…"

"But there's no absolute proof or evidence to back it up," Virginia said doubtfully. "It's just a…"

"…dream," Gallows interrupted. "But this is my kid brother's dream. Trust me, his dreams always come true."

"Thank you, Brother…" Shane said.

"I call it… the Blue Menace," Halle said. She paused to allow this to sink in, before continuing. "But this threat is not all that the dream speaks. It also tells of how the blue shadow will be defeated."

"The blue shadow shall be expelled by releasing the chains which bind the guardians," Shane explained, "Filgaia will eventually rejuvenate, and a little girl will bring about peace and tranquility…"

"My next mission to you is to release the guardians," Halle stated, interrupting Shane. Virginia gasped, even as Clive spoke up.

"This may be a job for your grandson," he said, "but we're not Baskars." Halle walked down the steps and walked over to stand next to Gallows.

"You can do it," she stated firmly. "When I said that the bearer of the Ark Scepter has the right to kill a guardian, I meant… You must face it in battle. It proved that you are worthy to face these intangible, invisible beings. And by fighting and proving your strength, the guardian will be released from the earth, transferring itself into a medium." Virginia sighed silently with relief, and the frowned.

"What's a medium?" she asked. Halle nodded at Gallows who grudgingly took a square of sliver out of his pocket. It was engrained with a strange symbol, one that made Virginia think of…water?

"This is a medium," Halle explained. "It can be considered a passport that allows mankind to shape this planet and manipulate various powers. But this one here is an imitation, made from Baskar technology by extracting the breath of the planet like water and wind, and refining it. This mission requires you to create a high density, pure medium from the bare bones of the planet's breath, the guardians." She placed her hand over the medium that Gallows was holding out. "Thank you kindly for looking after my incompetent grandson. Please return to the planet." To Virginia's surprise and, from Gallows's reaction, his surprise too, the medium evaporated into light and vanished.

"Why'd you have do that, Granny?" Gallows shouted angrily.

"A pure medium is much more powerful," Halle replied calmly. "All you have to do now is get one… You wield the Ark Scepter, do you not? Prove your strength to the guardian."

"Arghhh…" Gallows groaned.

"Pardon me…" Clive said, "but we are only here because we happened to meat by chance. We are not a team, nor do we have a reason to prove our strength to the guardians. However, you did call this a mission. Would you mind explaining what our reward would be should we accept this assignment?"

"A reward?" Halle frowned, and then her face cleared. "Ah yes, a reward. Your reward will be the mediums, transformed from guardians. Take it."

"Excuse me?" Clive said, looking stunned.

"Wipe that stern look off your face," Halle said, waving a hand dismissively. "Your good looks will go to waste. There are four Ark Scepters, and there are four of you. Each one of you is worthy to face a guardian. What you do with the mediums afterwards is none of my concern."

"Wait just a minute, Granny!" Gallows shouted looking, if Virginia was any judge, even more shocked then before. "Guardians and their mediums are valuable assets to us Baskars! We turn to them for guidance! But you would just give away these mediums to complete strangers? I always thought you were a little slow, but now I just think you're completely senile!"

"My, my…" Halle mused. "Now that's a surprise. I never realized you were so passionate about our old traditions… Perhaps you are more conservative then I thought. Even if we Baskars were to face the guardians and receive their mediums, all we would do is enshrine them at this alter and leave them there. And what good would that do? I believe that entrusting the mediums to Drifters who traverse the vast wasteland is the true meaning behind releasing the guardians. In a sense, it may be a long shot. But I believe this gamble is necessary based on the dream Shane had… I know this sounds like a crazy mission, but please consider…"

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Virginia glanced at the others as they grouped together to decide.

"I'm in…" Gallows stated firmly, "I want my medium back. I can't back down now."

"I am more drawn in by her story then anything else," Clive admitted. "Guardians… The powers that sustain the world… To come into contact with a mysterious entity means…"

"I don't care either way," Jet shrugged. "If we get it, we can always sell it. I'm in if the money's there."

"I… I'm…not sure…" Virginia said hesitantly. She thought for a moment, and came to a decision. "But I do feel excited… It's like an adventure for Drifters. I've always dreamed about that." As they all nodded in agreement, Halle walked over.

"Looks like you've decided," she said.

"We all have our own reasons," Clive explained, "but our goal is the same. The four of us would like to accept the mission to release the guardians."

"You made a wise decision," Halle said gladly. "Not the fact that you accepted the mission, but the fact that all four of you will carry out this mission together. The guardians have sealed their bodies in a distant time, but still exist today in intangible forms. Their strength far exceeds those of humans, so you should all watch out for each other. There is no need to rush. Prepare all you want before you prove your strength to the guardians. It may be wise to brush up your skills and learn more about the guardians here at Baskar. I will now give a brief explanation about the sanctuary from which you must release the guardians. If you need me to go over it again, don't hesitate to ask. The guardians are sealed at the base of the southern foothills. This sealed land became known as the sanctuary, and used as a ground to worship guardians. Do you have any questions? Knowledge is power. Do not forget." Following Gallows, Virginia and the others left for the Fallen Sanctuary.

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"Are you sure this will work Granny? They seem a bit different in person."

"We have no choice, Shane. If your dream-vision was right, they are the ones who will save Filgaia."

"Yes…and the ones who will pave the way for the Dream child to rejuvenate Filgaia… I'm just worried about Brother…"

"I am too… Although I won't admit that to him."

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Virginia glanced around as they climbed the stairs to the top of the Fallen Sanctuary. It had majesty, with eight pillars marking out the points of the compass. It was impressive, but…

"It's different than I imagined," Virginia said slowly. "It's hard to explain, but…"

"You thought it'd be a lot more beautiful and glorious?" Gallows asked. "Does that explain it?"

"With a sanctuary housing guardians, the power that sustains the world," Clive agreed, "you do have certain expectations…"

"Suits me just fine…" Jet said, as he reached the top. "This place is just like Filgaia--empty and barren with only the dry winds blowing through… Is Filgaia the way it is because this is how the guardians are, or is it the other way around? Ah, who cares…" Virginia turned to him, but before she could coment further, glow suddenly emerged from her pocket. Reaching inside, she pulled out the Ark Scepter which was now glowing with a peaceful, white light.

"Huh?" she said, startled, "I think it's trying to tell us something…" The others took out their various Ark Scepters, which were reacting in the same way. They all glanced at Gallows.

"Yo, what do we do?" Jet asked.

"I dunno!" Gallows said defensively. "Don't ask me!"  
"Wouldn't you be the one to know?" Clive asked curiously. Gallows scratched his head sheepishly in reply. "We were a little unprepared… We should have enquired as to its proper handling." The glows from the Ark Scepter started to increase in strength, blending together in a single, growing glow.

"Something's beginning to swell up!" Virginia shouted, straining to hold on. "I don't think I can hold it any longer!" She gasped as the glow vanished up into the air. Virginia glanced down, and started when she realized that her Ark Scepter had vanished.

"Wh-Where's the Ark Scepter?" she gasped. There were several other noises of shock as the others realized that their Ark Scepters had also vanished.

"Perhaps this phosphorescence is a ritual meant for the bearer of the Ark Scepter…" Clive suggested.

"Does that mean we've officially been deemed bearers?" Gallows asked, shrugging. As Clive nodded, Virginia suddenly heard a ting noise, In a way that had nothing to do with ears. She gasped as a sharp pain slammed into her head.

"A-A-Ahhhhh…!" Jet screamed in shock. "What was that?"

"Argh, my head!" Gallows complained. "My hangovers were never this bad! Is this a migraine?"

"The pressure inside our heads does indeed feel like one…" Clive agreed. "However, this feels as if…" Virginia dropped her hands to her chest as the pain faded, only to be replaced with a faint voice, too quiet to be heard.

"…someone is calling to us from deep within our hearts… It's soft, but very loud at the same time… If this really is the shrine where the guardians are worshipped, then this voice must be…" She turned, and glanced up at the stone pillars that Virginia now knew were alters. "Let's go…"

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"I am…trapped within the…Sealed Library… Heh heh heh!"

"Oh, shut up Fengalon."

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Virginia breathed in as she reached the alter at the top. They had split up, one to each alter. Virginia glanced around, and then touched the alter. A vision entered her mind...

_The ground sends waves of quakes into the distance. You feel a presence bigger and heavier then anything. The power of earth crushes all with its howl. The bearer of the Ark Scepter must have the strength to fight that which has no form. Fight, and show your strength to Grudeiv!_

Virginia looked up, as a massive dinosaur like monster with crystals lining it's back loomed over her and gulped quietly…

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Jet climbed to the top of the steps, and slapped the monolith alter with his palm, and gasped as an image forced it's way into his head…

_The swirling blaze coalesces, heralding a new beginning. You feel a presence hotter and more ferocious than anything. The power of fire spreads its crimson wings! The bearer of the Ark Scepter must have the strength to fight that which has no form. Fight, and show your strength to Moor Gault!_

Jet shock his head, and glanced up as a massive bird of flame coalesced into being.

"Ah…" he said slowly…

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Clive examined the stone alter carefully. If he remembered his runes correctly, the runes said that this was the alter of Fengalon, the Guardian of Wind. It seemed that the way to communicate with the guardian was to touch the alter. Clive extended a finger, and touched the end of it to the wall. A vision surged into his mind.

_The breeze turns to a blade that cuts away the clouds. You feel a presence sharper and swifter than anything. The power of wind shakes the vast wasteland. The bearer of the Ark Scepter must have the strength to fight that which has no form. Fight, and show your strength to Fengalon!_

Clive glanced up as the clouds opened, and the massive Fengalon appeared over him.

"I hope I haven't bitten off more then I can chew…" he mused as he chambered a round…

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Gallows walked up to the alter to Schturdark, the mighty Guardian of Water. He confidently placed his hand on the alter, and forced himself to relax as he felt the guardian's mind touch his.

_The currents flow softly yet, strongly and never stop. You feel a presence kinder and more passionate than anything. The power of water engulfs you in it's grasp. The bearer of the Ark Scepter must have the strength to fight that which has no form. Fight, and show your strength to Schturdark!_

Gallows glanced up as the turtle shape of Schturdark appeared over him, and shared a nod of recognition with him.

"Let's get on with it," he said quietly as he drew his ARM from it's holster.

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Virginia sagged against the wall around the top of the steps to the lower floor. While the battle with Grudeiv wasn't as bad as it could have been, it had been tiring and painful. She glanced up as the other stumbled over. Each of them looked as shell-shocked as she felt, but they all clutched a silver plate engraved with the symbols of the four elemental guardians that they had faced.

"Earth, water, fire and wind," Gallows said, glancing around. "So we got all four mediums from the four great guardians. A medium doesn't exhibit its power just by holding onto it. You have to invoke the medium and become one with the guardian's power." He held up three fingers. "Each of us can invoke up to three mediums. Anything above that will overload our consciousness, and may result in terrible consequences. Once a medium is invoked, you can use Arcana during battle. Arcana is…an extension of the guardians power. Think of it as magic if you will… It can be said that using Arcana is also the key to winning. But one thing you have to watch out for is the enemy's elemental property. The effectiveness of an Arcana attack can differ greatly depending on the enemy's elemental properties." He paused, and rubbed his forehead wearily. "And these mediums in their purest for are said to contain special powers. One of them is to summon. Summoning is basically a Force Ability, and it allows you to materialize the guardian's power with your energy. The destructive power increases as more energy is expanded, and affects multiple targets. A couple of things you have to watch out for… One is that just like Arcana, its effectiveness can vary depending on the target's elemental properties… And two, the number of times it can be used without rest is fairly limited. The biggest drawback, though, is that once you summon, your energy will be depleted. With no spare energy, your options will be limited as energy is also used for Arcana. And you can't ignore how it affects your attack and defensive power, too. This is something you should use strategically."

"Well then…" Clive said tiredly. "Now that it's all over, I suggest we go and see Halle. This was an official mission we undertook. The proper thing to do is to go back and report." Virginia held out Grudeiv's Terra Roar medium. She was still mildly stunned that Grudeiv had accepted her as his bearer.

"I still can't believe that the power that sustains the world is inside this tiny, little plate," she mused, and tucked it away in a pocket. "It's even more unbelievable that it's mine…"

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Janus narrowed his eyes as he watched the Drifters head down into the Fallen Sanctuary. From his perch on top of one of the monoliths, he had had a perfect view of the various battles that had gone on below. (They're more dangerous then I thought…) he mused. (This'll take planning…)

"Hey, Boss!" Dario called from below. "Shouldn't we go after 'em?"

"No," Janus decided, "we'll let them be. But only for the time being…" As he prepared to jump down, Janus saw Romero pointed at the sky.

"B-B-Boss, look…" Romero stammered. Janus glanced up and spotted a bird hovering over them.

"A watchbird, huh…" Janus mused. "Well, we did fail to seize the Ark Scepter. I'll have to deal with the consequences. But sooner or later, I'll have to come through for them, or else they'll have my head for sure…"

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The group had gathered in front of the Baskar Alter with Halle to detail the results of their mission.

"Well done," Halle congratulated, "I knew you could do it." She walked down the steps and held out her hand. "Now, hand me the four mediums." After a moment's hesitation, Virginia handed over her medium, as did Gallows, Jet and Clive.

"Hold up, Granny!" Gallows said suspiciously. "You're not planning to secretly switch those with imitations, are you?" Halle turned to him angrily.

"Bite your tongue!" she shouted. "You think I would stoop that low? That's something you would do! Now, listen to me well! Each of these pure mediums emits a special aura that protects the bearer. It enhances you physical attributes by raising you attack and defense, allowing you to take on powerful monsters. And…" She placed her hand on mediums. They started to glow. Virginia saw Gallows close his eyes and step back through the corner of her eye.

"WHOA!" He shouted. After a moment, he peeked through one of his eyes.

"Quit overreacting all the time," Halle said "Shame on you!" Virginia accepted back the mediums as he stood back up, sheepishly.

"But the mediums…" he gasped.

"Nothing to worry about," Halle replied as Virginia handed the Aqua Wisp medium back to him. "They're right here. I have just awakened the hidden power inside the mediums. Now evoke your medium, and experience the power firsthand."

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"Well…what do we do now?" Virginia asked as they left the village.

"Does anyone have any pressing matters they would like to take care of?" Clive asked. Gallows shrugged.

"We were all out havin' fun releasing the guardians," he replied. "No one has any errands to run."

"And now that we're all done, why don't we just go do our own thing," Jet suggested. (Do our own thing?) Virginia thought, startled.

"I suggest we head down to the bustling port town of Jolly Roger," Clive said, "I'm sure we can obtain some leads about further missions, and means of transportation."

"That's not a bad idea…" admitted Jet. "We'll find our own path from there."

"Well," Gallows started, "we've only known each other for a short while, but we were able to complete all our missions. Let's have our goodbye party there!" (A goodbye party?) Virginia thought, sadly. (Whose? Ours? Oh yeah, it's not like we're a team or anything…)

"It's decided then," Clive stated. "Let us head to Jolly Roger."

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Legal Notes: Wild ARMs 3 and the associated charactersand storybelongs to Media Vision/Contrail. I have no intention of gaining any money from this document.


	3. Temple of Memory

Virginia sighed silently as they entered to port town of Jolly Roger. Unless she voiced her thoughts soon, their group would disperse, and quite likely they would never see each other again.

"Well, what now?" Gallows asked.

"We obviously need to get some leads in order to continue," Clive replied. "In addition we need…"

"Grub and ale!" Gallows interrupted happily. "It's so amazing how well we get along after just meeting each other! So, let's liven up our farewell party with some food! I can't stand morose gatherings."

"You mean as around over drinks at the saloon?" Clive asked, and nodded. "Makes sense… Let's say goodbye and discuss our individual agendas over at the saloon." As the party entered the Bell Starr Inn, Virginia walked up to the bar.

"Excuse me," Virginia asked, "but would you happen to have any leads towards any treasure in the local area?" The barmaid glanced up from the glass she was whipping and looked over the group as her face split into a grin.

"Looking for leads? You're quite the diligent Drifter, aren't you? I love my job too. Life's easier if you like your job… And it's great not having any complaints. My names Hannah, and it's a pleasure to meet you. What do you say to this deal? I'll give you some info if all four of you eat here. It'll be about 150 Gella." Virginia glanced at her friends, and then nodded acceptance of the offer. "Much obliged! Leave it to me for good food and company! Oops… Did I say good company? Well, shucks. Please excuse me and this mouth of mine… Here in Jolly Roger, we got lots of old treasure. And they ain't really that old! I'm talkin' about a prize that none of you Drifters have ever got your hands on: The Eternal Sparkle." Speaking in a voice that suggested that she had repeated this tale many times before, Hannah began. "_In ages past, our world was ruled by a race of wicked demons, until they were pushed to the brink of extinction. The demon knight assigned three followers to protect a treasure. That treasure was the Eternal Sparkle._" Hannah hesitated, and then nodded at a table near the bar. "Uh… I'm glad you are such good listeners, but I need to start fixin' dinner. Just have a seat at the table, and I'll bring you some supper and get to the rest of my story in a jiffy.

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It was half an hour later. Gallows leant back and belched happily, causing everyone else to wince. "Man, am I full! And what a cook she is! She hooked us up good."

Clive nodded in agreement. "I wouldn't worry about the tab, Halle's reward will more then pay for it. And not only did we have our goodbye party, but we got a valuable lead as well…"

"Yeah, you got a point." Gallows hesitated, "anyway, what do you all think about the information she provided? Do you want to go investigate?"

"I'm goin'." Jet replied, "I don't care what you guys do. I prefer working alone, anyway."

"So, the legendary Eternal Sparkle…"

Clive pushed his glasses back in thought. "In ages past our world was ruled by a race of wicked demons, until they were pushed to the brink of extinction. The demon knight assigned three followers to protect a treasure. That treasure was the Eternal Sparkle. The three followers transformed themselves into seals to protect the Eternal Sparkle, awaiting the return of the demon knight. And one of those seals lie nearby this town." He paused for breath. "That's what she said, right?"

Gallows nodded in agreement. "It's the 'sparkle' part that makes you think it's some kind of gem, don't it? Aren't the legends full of these things. Unless we're sure it's worth something, I don't want any part of it. I'm outta here."

"An old legend, huh? Hmm…" Clive paused for thought again. "Considering that they remain strong… Either this lead is a red herring, or, even if it is true, then there's no doubt that it would be hazardous. I have nothing better to do, but I'm not enthusiastic about the prospects."

Jet shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't worry about it. Our partnership ends here. Once outside, we'll scatter in the wind. I'll head out alone. I've always been alone, and I like being alone."

Virginia groaned to herself at this, and decided that it was the best time to speak up. "There you go again! You can only do so much by yourself. If we stay together, we can do so much more! The four of us have different likes and dislikes, so we should all support each other. Who cares if it's tough? As long as there are four of us, there's always a glimmer of hope in the darkness. We released the Guardians! The four of us together make a great team!

The other three blinked in surprise. It was Clive who spoke up first. "Hmm… I didn't expect that after our farewell celebration. Have you been thinking a lot about that?"

Virginia nodded in agreement as she continued. "Our first meeting might have been coincidence. But we didn't come all this way due to our individual strengths. We did it as a team! Someday I want to say it wasn't just coincidence; it was fate. Guys, lets make our mark as one!" The silence was broken as Gallows broke into laughter. Virginia thought that she was beginning to blush as he tried to calm down enough to speak.

"Uh…Hahahaw… Well, that was a mouthful."

"Hey, did I say something funny?" Virginia complained, knowing for a fact that she was blushing, "Am I missing something here?"

"Yeah, you're missing something! Never thought anybody could say stuff like that with a straight face. But you do have a point. Drifters would never leave their mark if all they did was drift."

"You mean…?"

"You betcha. I'm all for it!" Gallows glanced at the other two. "And you two ain't got anything else to do either, right?"

Clive hesitated, and then shrugged in resignation. "Oh, well… I suppose you're right… Hmmm… All right, I'm game. I consider it prudent for all of us to pool our resources until we're able to set individual goals."

Virginia cheered up quickly as Clive finished, and couldn't stop herself from cheering. "Yippee! We're a team! Now, we're all gonna seek out the Eternal Sparkle!"

"Not so fast!" Virginia glanced over at Jet, and felt her happiness quickly vanish at his outraged expression.

"Huh? What, you got some kind of problem?" she asked.

"Yeah! A big problem!"

Virginia frowned as she tried to figure out what was wrong. "That's funny… I thought you couldn't wait to head out treasure huntin'?"

"I'm not talking about that! I'm talking about you pestering me on my way!" What nerve! Virginia though to herself as Jet continued. "I work alone. And I don't have time for wannabe Drifters!"

Virginia finally decided that she had had enough, and decided to beat Jet at his own game. "Wannabe Drifters? Okay tough guy! You say you work alone, so fill me in! Tell me what you've done! Tell everyone about the great things you've managed all by your fantastic self! Hey! I'm talkin' to you! Oh, before you start mumbling excuses, let me ask you what you were doing in the car with the Ark Scepter? You were planning on makin' off with it, weren't you?" She decided to twist the 'knife' a little. "And what happened? You blew it! You didn't have what it takes to steal it, cowboy! And here you are, sayin' you work best when you're alone. Where did you get such a big head?"

To say Jet was shocked was an understatement. "Wh-why you… That's… That's not--Arrgh! I wasn't the only one after that cargo that night!" He said, pointing at Gallows. Virginia turned towards Gallows in time to see him flinch.

"Whoa! Hey…uh… That's all beside the point! So, like… Yeah! We're so…you know… Who case if we're wannabe Drifters? We can take it easy and have fun while we venture into the unknown! Right?" Gallows glanced around, appealing to them. "Right?"

Clive was the first one to reply. "Perhaps you're right." He glanced at Virginia. "Look, leader…" Virginia felt herself jump as she started in surprise.

"Me?" she asked, sure that she had misheard.

"Who else?" Clive asked in mildly surprised tones. "This is your idea, isn't it? So, leader… Let us reaffirm, our collective purpose."

Virginia shrugged, "Well… We have three goals: To find the ruins where the Eternal Sparkle lies… To work as a team… And, lastly… To make the Eternal Sparkle ours!"

"See, that's why I work alone…" Jet muttered to himself.

Gallows rolled his eyes. "Give it a rest, hero. You're just hurtin' yourself. Besides, when it comes to persuasion, she trounces all of us hands down."

Virginia groaned to herself, "Were you two even listening to a word I was saying?"

"Oh, of course. And we're looking forward to working with ya, leader."

"Speak for yourself, punk!" Jet muttered as they stood up and walked out.

Virginia shaded her eyes as she stepped out of the Bell Starr and into the street. She hesitated in shock as she spotted three unwelcome figures clustered around a crate. As if felling her eyes fall on him, Janus turned around and spotted her.

"Howdy!" he said, sounding surprisingly cheerful considering the nature of their last meeting. "Good to see you, kiddos." Virginia watched as he glanced back at his two friends, both of whom were staring at a young girl in a black dress. She felt repelled as she realized that the girl Dario was staring so avidly was only ten at the most. They both glanced up, and then quickly ran over to stand next to Janus.

"Let's go." Virginia said, trying her best to ignore them. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Janus seemed wounded at her reaction.

"Oh what's that face for?" He said sadly, and then brightened. "I know! You've found some clues. Come on, give us a little hint. Please?" Virginia felt so shocked at this that she couldn't reply for a few seconds.

"Why would I help a scoundrel like you?" she spat out.

"A scoundrel? Oh, that hurts! We're Drifters. Sometimes our goals collide, but it comes with the territory. So please, lay off the insults. Anyway, you want the Eternal Sparkle." Virginia gasped in shock.

"How did you--? You been spying on us?" she accused.

"There you go again… Look, anybody in this town with half a brain can find that out. Ain't much else to this town." He complained. Part of Virginia's mind noted that he played the hurt innocent very well. "Look… Lets work together. With all of us, I'm sure we could uncover the location of…"

"Nope!" Virginia interrupted, shaking her head. "I just can't trust you. I hate not trusting people, but still… I… I just said I'd make a team with these Drifters I met out in the wasteland. So I can't work with you right now."

"Hmm… That's too bad." Janus shrugged. "Just listen to this. I heard the Eternal Sparkle is somewhere inside an ancient vault called the Ruins of Memory. Believe me or not… It's your choice, Princess. But we're not tryin' to fool you. You can trust me on that one. Next time we meet, I hope you'll be ready to help us out. 'Cause I had to make some sacrifices to come out here and see you." Janus shrugged as he walked out of Jolly Roger, followed by his friends. Virginia breathed in a few times. When she felt calm enough, she turned to the others.

"What do you think?" she asked. It was Gallows who spoke up first.

"I don't trust him… but it might be worth checking…"

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Virginia glanced around as they entered the Ruins of Memory vault. It had obviously been, and in some ways still was, an impressive structure, but now… There was a dull thud as one of the decaying tapestries, disturbed by their entrance, finally parted with the wall and hit the ground. Virginia hesitated, and then indicated the entrance to the next room.

"Come on, let's get moving."

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As they passed into the third room, Virginia felt her gaze fall on a statue at the other end of the room. She shivered, as part of her rang warning bells in her head. Before she could voice her concerns, however, she heard a sound. Instinctively, she aimed at a pillar.

"Pretty quick on the trigger. But as a Drifter, it may cost you your life if you don't pull it." Virginia groaned inwardly as she recognized the voice. As if to confirm her worst fears, Janus stepped out from behind the pillar, followed by his too friends, and grinned.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, not bothering to hide the annoyance in her voice.

"I want to join forces, Princess," he said, apparently not worried by her voice. "Didn't I mention that before? And I do have a name. Allow me to introduce myself—Janus Cascade, and the pleasure is all mine." Virginia hesitated, but Janus continued before she could respond. "I seem to have made a bad first impression. You have every right to reject my offer. But that is precisely why I want to join forces. I want to redeem myself and earn your trust. If your after the Eternal Sparkle, we'd like to help." Virginia hesitated again. She did hate to hold a grudge… and Janus Did seem to be sincere. Decision made, she put her ARMs away.

"Fine…" she said. "Let's find the Eternal Sparkle together." She waited for the response she knew would come. Unsurprisingly, it was Gallows who objected first.

"Hey, hey, hey? What are you thinking? We can't trust this guy!"

"As long as you are the leader, we shall abide by your decision," Clive said. "However, are you sure you have carefully thought this out?" Virginia hesitated again, a habit that she was beginning to dislike in herself, before she replied.

"I understand your concern. But everyone deserves a second chance. I don't like to hold grudges… It's too hard and painful to handle. To tell you the truth, I don't trust him one hundred percent, either. But at some point, I have to do this, or else I'll be skeptical of him forever. That's why I chose to trust him just now."

"Understood. I shall accept his propo…" Clive coughed and corrected himself. "I mean our leader's decision."

"Look…" Janus said, a small amount of exasperation entering his voice. "You have my utmost respect, Princess. I wish I could think like you. Actually, maybe I did back in the day."

"Well, now we're a team," Gallows said, doubt strong in his voice, "what are you going to do for us?"

"Information…" Janus replied promptly. "We can provide information about the demons, who are said to have sealed the Eternal Sparkle. I'll tell you once we find it. I think it's a fair deal. We just need you to escort us deep within these trap-filled ruins." Virginia frowned, trying to ignore the part of her that was screaming at her to not trust him.

"With our strength and your information," she said, trying to drown out the voice of her doubts, "we'll get through these ruins in no time. We're counting on you, Janus."

Janus grinned his secret smile. "Same here, Princess… Same here…"

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Clive jogged back round the corner. "3… 2… 1…" he counted out. As his voice hit "0" there was a bang. Rubble flew out of the sudden cloud of smoke, and rattled off the walls. Following Clive back round the corner, Virginia saw the large hole in the wall. And the broken show-cases reduced to firewood. And the burned books. And the slowly smoldering carpet. Clive scratched his head sheepily. "Maybe that was a tad to strong…" he said.

"No kidding." Jet said flatly. As they continued down the next passage, Gallows teasing Clive gently about his 'explosive personality,' Virginia glanced back at Janus and his men. They hadn't said a word, and both Dario and Romero had been looking guilty ever since her bargain with Janus. The voice in the back of her head was getting louder by the second, insisting that this was suspicious.

"… and it explains why you never got that job in a fireworks factory!" Gallows voice drifted back. Virginia rolled her eyes. Some things never changed, and apparently Gallows' poor humor was one of them.

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Virginia held back a gasp as she entered the final room. It was in much better repair then the rest of the ruins. At the far wall, three masks were arranged in a triangle. Two of them were as dull brick, but the bottom left was a brilliant blue color. She frowned as she considered this. None of them looked like it deserved the term 'Eternal Sparkle', so why…

"The Eternal Sparkle…" Janus said, breaking her train of thought. "Only a select few have actually come in contact with it. But one thing is for sure… It's much greater than any jewel or precious metal known to man." Janus walked towards the wall with the three masks as he spoke. "A great power is bestowed upon the one who comes in contact with it. It grants a spear that can destroy all life. That is the Eternal Sparkle's true essence." Alarm bells went off in Virginia's head as Janus grabbed the blue mask. "But that's all rubbish if you ask me. There are, however, avaricious people in this sick world, that would do or pay anything to get their grubby little hands on it"

"Janus…" Virginia said worriedly, "what do you think you're doing?"

"Coming all the way here," Janus continued, as if he was talking to himself, "hired by some dubious blokes, covering myself in filthy dust… I guess you can call me avaricious…" He shock himself, and spun to face Virginia. "Thank you, Princess… I really enjoyed your company. Now, if I may, I must go cash in my treasure." Virginia felt the bottom drop out of her world as she realized that her doubts had been accurate after all.

"Janus… You tricked us… You double-crosser!"

"Tricked you?" Janus grinned. "Heavens, no! Oh, I almost forgot my end of the bargain. This here is a shield, which bares the name of the Demon Hieraco. It's kind of like a good luck charm. Aside from this Hieraco, there are two more shields; the Andro and Crio. The Eternal Sparkle is said the be sealed by all three. I now hold one of the three shields scattered throughout the world. The second is currently being excavated, and… the third seems to be in the hands of a certain Drifter. Of course I plan on stealing that one in the near future. I'm sorry I made a fool out of you. But I was just doing my job. As I've told you before, we Drifters are neither good nor evil… We're either winners or losers. Now, make way before I'm forced to hurt you." Virginia felt her shoulders slump as she realized how she had betrayed herself as much as Janus had, just to give him a second chance.

"I tried my best to trust you… All my comrades had doubts, and yet I went ahead and joined forces with you. I wanted to try my best to believe you… I wanted so badly to trust… And then…!"

"Save the sob story, Princess," Janus sneered. "That's just how the game's played in the wasteland."

"I won't let anyone make a mockery of people who are trying so hard!" Virginia said, feeling her sadness condense into anger at Janus' betrayal.

"… That's what I like about you, Princess. But the thing is…" Janus' tone dropped as well, becoming angry. "You're starting to get on my nerves! You're rubbing me the wrong way by carrying all that inexperienced weight into the wasteland! You remind me of my youth, back when I was still green! You're a reflection of the old me… You're just a figment of my past! Now watch, as I trample over you!" Janus' voice became slightly more business like. "Dario! Pull yourself together and shut your fly!" Dario jumped out to stand next to Janus.

"I'm good to go Boss!" He said.

"Romero!" Janus called out next. "Don't be shakin' in your boots!" Romero followed Dario and joined the two of them.

"All set to go boss!" he said.

"Prepare to execute the Trinity! We can go all out here!" Janus yelled as he leaped to the attack, followed by Dario and Romero.

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Janus stumbled back as he felt a bullet pass through his arm. It hurt like hell, causing him to decide to get the hell out while he was still alive. But how… Aha! He pulled out and glanced at his watch.

"Tch…! I'm going to be late! Dario, Romero! You hold them off while I go back and report." He said.

"But boss, that's suicide!" Dario said, looking at him in shock. "You know we can't use the Trinity without you!"

"Are you just using use as pawns so you can go make your escape?" Romero said, joining his brother. Janus felt slightly guilty, but he quickly squelched it back under.

"Quit your wining!" Janus ordered. "If I don't bring back the Hieraco shield, then who will? Listen up! For once in your life, fight like you've never fought before. And if your still alive, meet me at the usual place." Without looking back, Janus high-tailed it out of the ruins.

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Virginia glowered as Janus made his escape. She could only feel contempt for Janus for leaving his team behind. Reloading her ARMs, she turned her attention to the two left behind.

"So, it's just you and me, huh, bro?" Romero said, glancing around the room, apparently for hiding places.

"You know, I've read somewhere that…" Dario said slowly to the strong doubt of several people there. "In times of crisis, people have the power to accomplish the impossible. It's do or die now. Let's go all out, or else the boss will have our heads for sure!"

"It's gonna take a burning house for me to build up that power." Romero said back in a slight panic. "And it ain't gonna amount to much. Anyway, lets just make sure we don't die out here. That's the best we can do." Ignoring their conversation, Virginia opened fire, as did everyone there.

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Romero stumbled back as Clive's well-placed shot knocked his throwing star out of his hand. Unbelievably, he burst into tears.

"Waaahhhh!" he cried. "If only our boss were here, you guys would've been dead meat!"

"Sounds like an excuse from a sore loser!" Gallows replied, aiming at Romero, "I'm sure there's more where that came from!"

"Ah, get off you're high horse!" Dario said, stumbling backwards. "We'll make you regret you ever met us!" he said as he ran for it, followed closely by his brother. Virginia slumped as she heard Gallows speak up.

"Argh, those guys make me sick to my stomach!" he complained. Virginia felt Clive's gaze fall on her as she looked up.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"I'm…sorry." Was all Virginia could let herself say. "If only I hadn't trusted them…"

"I'll say…" she heard Jet mutter to himself.

"You cannot let mistakes here and there get you down." Clive said kindly. "Just remember: you are the team leader." Virginia felt herself cheer up at Clive's vote of confidence.

"Your right…" she said. "If the Eternal Sparkle really is such a deadly artifact, we can't let them have it. And from what Janus was saying, they haven't yet obtained all the shields yet, right? Then if we act now, we can still stop those thugs from obtaining the Eternal Sparkle."

"Most likely…" Clive said, hesitant at her sudden mood change.

"Then what are we doing standing around with our heads hung low?" she asked. "Let's go back to Jolly Roger and find out more about the remaining shields!" Virginia walked for the room's door, followed by the others.

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Legal Notes: Wild ARMs 3 and the associated charactersand storybelongs to Media Vision/Contrail. I have no intention of gaining any money from this document.


	4. The Serpent's Coils

Virginia frowned as they met again in front of the SandCat Inn. She glanced around at her at her friends.

"So… anything?" Everyone shock their heads.

"I think that the other two masks are located in other parts of the world." Clive said. "I've no idea how we get to them though…" Virginia frowned.

"How about the sand sea? If we could find a boat…"

"The dune creatures aren't happy." Interrupted someone from behind her. "They lend no ear to the plight of ships." Virginia turned to find a sailor standing behind her. He shrugged. "Sorry to interrupt, but I overheard you talking and I thought I'd better stop you making a mistake. My names Dennis." He held out his hand. Virginia shock it hesitantly.

"What would you suggest then?" she asked. Dennis frowned.

"These days, land routes are more practical then sea ones. It's safer to take a train. Midland station is to the northwest. Ever since monsters started showing up, they can't repair the trains quickly enough, so right now they just go west. But long ago, that place was the central junction for railways form, all over Filgaia."

"Thank you." Virginia glanced at the others. "What do you think?"

"Sounds more comfortable then risking the sand oceans." Gallows said and shrugged.

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There was a hiss, as the train slowly pulled into Westwood station. Virginia hopped down onto the platform, followed by the rest of the group.

"Now, where so we go?" asked Gallows. "We don't know where to start looking for the next mask."

"I think we should ask the station master," Clive replied, "he should know where the nearest village is."

"I'll ask," Virginia said, and walked over to the ticket station. "Excuse me."

"Lots of people today…" the station master was musing to himself. He glanced up. "Oh, hi. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering… Rick," Virginia said, noting his name tag, "where the nearest town is?"

"Well…east of here is the village of Claiborne. It's a nice place to visit if you don't mind the long walk."

"Thanks!" She turned back to the others. "Come on guys, we're heading to Claiborne."

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Virginia rolled her eyes as she listened to Jet's muttering. It was pitched at a level apparently designed to be difficult to hear, and very annoying.

"I would be faster by myself; it took ages to get here from the station." Virginia finally decided to interrupt him.

"So this is Claiborne… I wonder if we could get some horses here? It would sure speed up our walks across the wasteland."

"Bu-But…" Jet stuttered, "that would use up most of our money!"

"Its better then having to listen to someone complain all the time." Jet turned and muttered something. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear that. What did you say?"

"I'll shut up alright! Where are we going next, anyway?"

"I suggest we split up and ask around, someone's bound to find some possible information." Clive said. Virginia nodded in agreement.

"We'll meet in front of the Horse Theft Saloon in a few minutes time, okay?" Virginia walked off, towards the stables in the east of the town. She only got a few feet before a young girl stopped her

"Are ya a Drifter? Gosh, Ah envy you. The names Becky by the way," she said and sighed. "Ah wish Ah could travel 'round freely. So, what brings ya here, anyway? There was another group of Drifters askin' 'bout the Serpent's Coils ruins just a while ago… Are they with you?"

"The Serpent's Coils?" Virginia asked, "where are they?"

"Oh, it's the ruins east of here. Bit of a maze, but there's supposed to be some kinda valuable mask in there, or somthin'."

"Thanks!" Virginia called back as she ran towards the Inn.

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Virginia stepped into the ruins of the Serpent's Coils. It was pretty dark, and the passages beyond the next room seemed to twist considerably. She groaned, and turned to the others

"Be on your guard, everyone. If the shield that seals the Eternal Sparkle is located here, and what that girl Becky said is true, there's a good chance that Janus might be in here, too," she said.

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"I don't see a switch anywhere." Virginia said, glancing around the level. So far, they had managed to make it through the maze, but this door didn't seem to have any way of opening.

"It's down here!" Gallows called. Walking over to him, Virginia spotted the switch, on the next floor down. There didn't seem to be a way back up.

"Great." Jet said, shaking his head. "You mean, after all that, we have to jump down and redo it all over again?"

"If you'd prefer to stay here of course…" Virginia said, and hopped over the edge, followed by Gallows and Clive. She heard a fourth thump as Jet finally dropped down behind them. Virginia stepped on the floor switch, and heard the door open overhead.

"Why, thank you. I never imagined a rival Drifter would be so cooperative." Virginia looked up in surprise. There was an unknown group walking along the top floor where Virginia and her friends had just been. It consisted of a blonde girl in a red dress, a dark man in a suit holding some kind of staff, a young kid and a…winged cat?

"It's not Janus…" Virginia decided, "but still thugs, nonetheless."

"Was she referring to me?" the suited man asked in surprise.

"This lass needs to get out more," the girl Virginia was already naming 'Blonde' mentally replied.

"Madam, we must press on…" the cat said

"I know, I know." Blonde glanced at the boy, who was probably a relative. "Is it still responding on the radar?" The boy nodded. She turned back to Virginia. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

The question was so far out of context, that Virginia could only manage a startled "Huh?"

"Did I stutter?" Blonde asked. "I'm sure you're just looking for the shield, anyway, Okay then, here's another question. What makes you think you can find your way around the wasteland? What is it that supports you, which lets you think you can make it?"

"What are you talking about? I'm just, me! Stop talking such nonsense!"

"Sounds like you're just another one of those people, who roam the wasteland unprepared and clueless." Blonde shrugged. "It's posers like you that give female Drifters such a poor rep. I can't stand it! One of these day's you're really gonna hurt yourself by pretending to be a Drifter. I suggest you turn back now." Blonde and two of her companions left, leaving the boy on the top level by himself.

"Pretending?"

"I'm sorry," the kid said. "My sister always speaks her mind. That often makes her come off as harsh." He quickly turned and ran after the others."

"I know I'm just starting to take flight," Virginia muttered angrily, "but still… The nerve of her!"

"Come on," Clive said, pushing his spectacles up his nose. "The best way to prove her wrong is to beat her to the shield…"

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Virginia walked along the next corridor. So far, the maze had practically caused them double their tracks several times, and Maya's interference wasn't helping. The had passed through the same room, one with several doors, and she was…

Virginia's train of thought was abruptly derailed as she realized which room they had walked into, yet again. "Guardians, dammit!" she yelled in anger.

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Virginia dived through the next door, bringing her ARMs up to cover the room. She spotted Blonde and her group, who turned to face her.

"You are such an eyesore!" Blonde said. "Who do you think you are, anyway?"

"I may be inexperienced…" Virginia replied, keeping her weapons aimed at the other women. "But I'm doing the best I can! I'm not pretending, okay? I'm not gonna have you laugh at me when I'm trying my best!"

"You really crack me up!" Blonde grinned. She spun out a ARM of her own, and got off a shot, missing Virginia's ear by millimeters. "Then why don't you prove just how far your best will take you!"

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Virginia ducked, as a blaze of fire from Blonde's long-barreled, revolving ARM flew over her head. She quickly returned fire, blasting the ARM out of Blonde's hands and knocking her over, accompanied by Blonde's startled "Huh?" Even as Blonde climbed back to her feet, Virginia noticed Blonde's brother take out some kind of radar. She turned her attention back to Blonde, as she spoke up.

"You are tenacious… and stubborn!" Blonde admitted, pulling a book out of her pocket. "But let's see if you can handle thi…"

"Uh… Sis? Sis!" The boy said, interrupting her.

"How dare you interrupt me…" Blonde said, startled. "Since when have you gotten so bold? Anyway, what is it?"

"Sis, the radar's reacting. I think the team that went in ahead of us is making its move." Virginia watched, startled, as they both put away their items.

"Sorry to spoil the party, but we don't have time to play with you anymore. Ta-ta… Don't hurt yourself." She start to run for the door out.

"Wait!" Virginia called, startled by Maya's sudden change of actions.

"The name's Maya Schroedinger." Blonde…Maya said. "And we are the renowned Schroedinger family. Don't you forget it. It's a name you'll be chasing for a long time."

"I'm… Virginia Maxwell!" Virginia replied.

"I'll remember it for the time being." Maya shrugged. "But, listen… Once I turn my head, you better be right behind me. Or else I'll forget it real quick" Maya continued through the door.

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Virginia carefully glanced around the room. It was identical to the room in the Ruins of, except that it was the top shield of the triangle that was real, and was colored red.

"The shield!" Virginia said, "I think we're the first ones here!" She hesitated, gripped by a sudden doubt. "Wait, where's Maya and her team? Well, better make the most of this opportunity!" She walked over to the wall, and tried to grab the shield. She groaned as she realized that she couldn't reach it, even on tiptoe.

"You won't be able to reach it like that. Would you like some help?"

"Yeah, can you…Huh?" Startled, Virginia turned around.

"Hi there." Janus said, and grinned.

"Oh, man…" Gallows complained. "Are they the team Maya was talking about?"

"Apparently…" Clive replied. Jet just rolled his eyes.

"Geez… Why does everyone hate us?" Dario asked petulantly.

"Well bro…" Romero replied. "We have no social graces, just like the boss…" Janus slammed the butt of his Bayonet ARM into Romero's nose, causing Romero to hunch over in pain.

"I just choose to work efficiently," Janus said, and shrugged. "And when others don't like it, they make a fuss… But the truth of the matter is, everyone's just sore they were outwitted!"

"Now, I get it," Virginia said, shaking her head in anger. "You feel no pain when you stomp all over other people because of the way you think."

"Well of course," Janus said, apparently confusion. "I'm the one doing the stomping, so why should I feel the pain?"

"Calling you a thug is much too flattering… You have absolutely no moral principles." Virginia angrily pointed her ARMS at Janus. "You're nothing but a scumbag!"

"Scumbag…?" Janus sneered. "That's an understatement!" Virginia glanced around. Her friends had their ARMs pointing at Janus' group. It was a Mexican stand-off. Before the part of her mind that refused to focus on what was happening, could wander who was 'Mexican' and what stand-off he was involved wit, she spotted the Cat thing, Shady, that was with Maya's group fly over and grab the shield. It quickly flew back, causing Dario to look up.

"Hey, Boss!" Dario said as he stared in shock. "A cat's got the shield and it's takin' off with it!"

Janus backhanded Romero with his ARM again.

"Ow! What did I do?" Romero complained.

"Idiots!" Janus shouted. "What are you doing standing around? That's no ordinary cat! It must belong to a Drifter!" Maya strode into the room, and took the shield from Shady.

"We had already confirmed that there were two other teams within these ruins in search of the shield," Maya said, and grinned. "And oh, how easily we were able to snatch away the goods from both of you. I was a little disappointed how the notorious Cascade couldn't live up to his reputation. A little anticlimactic, I must say…"

"Tch…" Janus said in annoyance. "Since when did women begin losing their modesty?"

"Oh?" Maya shock here head. "Women have been living proudly for a long time now. You just need to date more."

"The Eternal Sparkle is sealed by three shields. Rumor has it that a female Drifter is in possession of the Crio shield. Might that be…you?"

Maya grinned. "Bingo…" she said. Janus and his group prepared to fight, but…

"Looks like the odds are against us today," he said, and shrugged. "But I want you to know that we're not giving up on the Eternal Sparkle. Have you been to Claireborne? Southwest of there, by the tip of the peninsula, stands an ancient tower. It's called Ka Dingel. It was constructed by humans a long ago in an effort to reach the heavens, seeking power. That is where the Eternal Sparkle is sealed. Sealed by the power of the three shields."

"Why, thank you kindly for the information." Maya politely moved aside, allowing Janus and his party a clear shot to the exit.

"I choose to work efficiently, that's all. Even if I am just buying time…" He fired into the ceiling, causing the unstable ruins to shake.

"Stop right there!" Virginia yelled, and ran after them as they left. She felt Jet grab her around the middle and yank her out of the way and pulls her out of the way as a piece of the ceiling fell down where she had been.

"Whoa…" she heard Maya's sister Alfred comment in surprise.

"I said, stop!" Virginia yelled. She climbed up, only to find Maya standing in front of her. She felt a stab of pain as Maya slapped her face.

"You're the one who needs to stop what you're doing," Maya said. Virginia stared at her with a feeling of shock and bemusement.

"But why?" she asked. "They're…"

"They do have a bad rep." Maya shrugged. "That goes to show how good they are. That's the way it is in the wasteland."

"But…" Virginia tried to interrupt. Maya put a stop to that by grabbing Virginia's front and hoisting her up to eye level.

"But what? You think that they're bad guys? Then what is you're definition of bad? Just now, you did something extreme and endangered your comrade. So, by being imprudent and risking the lives of others, doesn't that make you a bad guy, too? This is exactly the kind of thing that makes me think you're just pretending to be a Drifter!" Maya shrugged again and dropped her. Virginia could feel a hole opening in her world view.

"No, wait…! You're not going to that tower, are you? It's a trap, I know it!"

"Of course it's a trap. It's so obvious. So it'll be worth the risk to take them up on their proposal. And the Eternal Sparkle is sealed there. The stage would be complete." Virginia collapsed, feeling too numb to be shocked or scared at the way Maya had turned her world upside down.

"What was it that I wanted to accomplish as a Drifter? I have no idea… My wings are in place, yet I have nowhere to fly."

"This is a hurdle people face when they wander into the wasteland with some romantic idea in mind." She tossed the red shield at Virginia's feet, causing her to look up at Maya. "Just bring the shield and head southwest to Ka Dingel. There, you'll find neither good nor bad--only the truth about Drifters Once you find the truth, you'll find you're answer. Okay?"

"Are you sure, Milady?" Todd, the final member of Maya's group, asked.

"Yes, she'll be fine." Maya replied. "Once she faces the truth, I'm sure she'll stop pretending to be a Drifter. All right everyone. Lets get going."

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Legal Notes: Wild ARMs 3 and the associated charactersand storybelongs to Media Vision/Contrail. I have no intention of gaining any money from this document.


	5. The Return of The Spear Glumzamber

Gallows climbed down the stairs to the Horse Theft Saloon and grimaced at the others.

"Our leader's pretty bummed out," he said.

"All we can do is lend a helping hand," Clive said and shrugged. "If she can't get back on her feet herself, then this is it for her…"

"Well, depending on how you look at it, this was kinda fun. According to them, we were just amusin' ourselves pretending to be Drifters."

"Well… What now…?" Jet asked.

"That is up to the leader to decide…"Clive replied, and glanced up at the ceiling "…perhaps she has already made up her mind…"

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Virginia could feel the bed she was lying on press into her back as her thoughts whirled chaotically.

(Where am I supposed to fly…) She thought. (I'm doing the best I can… and I'm taking this seriously. But I feel like I'm getting nowhere… What am I lacking here? What is it that supports me, and molds me into who I am? What is it that I need to traverse the wasteland as a Drifter?" Virginia glanced at the photo half she held in her hand. "Daddy… Back then, I didn't understand why you left me… or what you were thinking… But now… I think I understand a little bit… There's something out in the wasteland right Daddy? That's why you became a Drifter… Daddy… What should I do? I can't consider myself a Drifter until I know, right?) She sat up, suddenly determined. "But still… I have to fly… … If I don't, this will all end without my finding out anything. I'm not going out to the wasteland because I have a purpose…I'm going to find a purpose! I better go apologize to everyone… And…"

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Virginia slowly walked down the stairs, pausing to look around the room below. As everyone glanced up at her, she reached the bottom, and glanced around.

"Are you feeling better?" Clive asked, hi voice full of concern. Virginia nodded.

"I'm fine now…" Virginia said. "And…" her gaze fell to her shoes. "I'm sorry… I became a Drifter, thinking that maybe my ARMs could help people in need… But I didn't have a purpose or goal as a Drifter… That's why she said I was pretending. How I put everyone in danger. Please forgive me…" Virginia glanced up again, and relaxed as she took in Clive's and Gallows' understanding faces.

"So, did you figure out what you want to do in the wasteland?" Clive asked.

"Yep." Virginia said, and hesitated. "Ah, wait… Maybe not…"

"Which is it?" Jet asked, exasperated.

"Well, I'm not confused anymore," Virginia replied. "I know why I need to continue traversing the wasteland."

"Looks like we were spared a depressing sob story." Gallows said, ignoring Clive's gestures to shut up.

"Of course!" Virginia smiled. "I may have been depressed a little while ago, but I'm not gonna let it end like this. So, lets all…"

"…continue on as a team, and see the matter through." Clive finished.

"We haven't made much money yet. I can't drop out now." Jet said, and shrugged.

"Hey, we're all invited guests." Gallows said. "Let's do it together!"

"Thanks, everyone… Let's hurry to the southwest tower, Ka Dingle!"

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Virginia gazed up at the tower Ka Dingel. And up. And up. The tower was taller then any ruin she had seen before. And it almost seemed like it was supposed to continue up further then it really did, the top had a cut off look as if the top part of the tower had exploded.

"Do you see that?" asked Clive in a hushed voice. "Over the tower."

"I don't see…" Virginia started, and then gasped, when she spotted what Clive had seen. Calmly, many miles above the tower, the clouds were moving around the air above the tower, leaving a hole in the sky. They entered the Tower, and started up the first set of stairs…

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Virginia didn't have enough spare breath to groan as another round bounced off Trask's armor. So far, they had been making good time up the tower, but part of the way up, a monster had jumped them, and nothing they were doing was harming it!

"We can't stop it! Nothing can get through!" Virginia yelled, and dropped to the floor, barely missing the Bio-missile Trask fired at her.

"I've got an idea!" Clive called. "its armor is made of metal! If we head it, and then freeze it…"

"…it could break!" Jet finished. He grabbed his medium. "Cremate!" He yelled, sending a tounge of fire right at the monster. Gallows was right behind him with a cry of "Freeze" and a beam of Ice. There was a cracking noise, and then Trask roared in pain as it's armor shattered into pieces. There was a billow of steam. Virginia blinked, as it slowly cleared. The monster, Trask, had gone.

"Whew… Lets get moving," she said, and led the way out. As they faded into the distance, a shadow shifted, and a shell-less Trask, groaning in pain, dragged itself in the opposite direction.

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Virginia glanced around the next room. There didn't appear to be any other exit, just a raised platform on the other side of the room. She took a step forward… And nearly fell over as the room shock to the sounds of gunfire and explosions coming from above.

"Is everyone all right?" she asked, as the gunfire and shaking died away.

"Yes, we seem to be fine, but…Clive said. They all looked up at the ceiling

"What's goin' on up there?" Gallows asked hypothetically.

"Heh…" Jet said and shrugged. Our situation never seems to get any better." Virginia carefully stepped on the raised platform. As Jet, bringing up the rear, stepped on, it shock, and started to rise towards a hole in the ceiling. Virginia started as she realized she could hear voices from above.

"Listen…" she said.

"How did you like our Trinity Avenger?" one voice said, that Virginia tentatively labeled as Janus' voice.

"Th-That name is even more ridiculous then the attack! How can I be so disgraced and humiliated…?" Virginia recognized the second voice as Maya, and bit her lip as she realized that Maya sounded hurt.

"We'd better be careful, it sounds nasty up there…" she said.

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Virginia glanced around as the elevator finally reached to top floor. Janus and his party was standing in front of a set of stairs that led up to some kind of shrine with three pillars spaced around it in a triangle. As she glanced to the left, she spotted Maya and her party lying on the floor, apparently defeated by Janus' group.

"Maya!" Virginia called out, causing Maya to stir slightly.

"Heh heh…" Janus chuckled. "Looks like the stage is set. The Schroedingers have the Crio shield in their possession… Which means that you must have the Andro shield, correct? Now hand it over and I just might spare their lives."

"Don't do it!" Maya called out. "Their not just after it for the money… The Eternal Sparkle is used to…" Janus aimed and shot at her, causing her to grunt in pain.

"I'm trying to work efficiently, here," he said casually, and shrugged. Virginia hesitated, but she couldn't see any other way out. She walked over and handed the shield to Janus.

"Heh heh heh… Hahahah… HA HA HAH HAH!" Janus laughed. "All three shields are now mine… All mine! ... Do you believe that the Eternal Sparkle will grant unlimited power tot the one who attains it? … Wouldn't you like to see what the 'Spear that Destroys All Life' can really do?" Virginia started to back away as Dario and Romero stared at Janus in shock.

"B-Boss…" Dario stuttered. "What's gotten into you?"

"You ain't gonna blow off our mission, are you?" asked Romero.

"Heh…" Janus grinned. "Once you're dead… It's all over. Just like the late Lucio… He's not one of us anymore… He's nothing. Wouldn't you agree? I've been giving this a lot of thought lately… How can one live forever without decaying? But the thing is…eternal life doesn't exist. There's no such thing as immortality. That's why I've chosen a different approach in which to live on forever." His voice started to go faster as he grew excited. "To attain a force… a power so strong everybody will remember me for it. I'm not going out as an average Drifter. I will overcome the boundary of time, and continue to exist within people's memories! With this power, I shall become the absolute ruler and engrave my name in history forever! Andro, Crio, Hieraco!"

within the pillars, and the floor, long dormant circuitry started to stir 

Virginia absent mindedly brushed back a strand of hair that a rising breeze had blown over her face.

"The time of awakening has come! Grant me the Eternal Sparkle!" Janus held up the masks.

Mechanisms that had once formed part of the dimensional elevator connecting Ka Dingel and the satellite Malduke came to life 

Virginia gasped as the masks started to float in the midpoint between the three pillars, and the wind built to an incredible strength.

"Why did you hand over the shield?" Maya yelled over the rising wind.

"He would've killed you!" Virginia replied. "And, and… I wanted to believe I was doing the right thing! I wanted to hold true to my beliefs!"

Energies focused, based around the long-held record of the shape, composition and soul of a certain artifact 

Virginia held back a gasp as the rising wind carried Romero and Dario to top of one of the pillars.

"B-Boss!" screamed Dario.

"We don't wanna end up like Lucioooooo…!" cried Romero. At a gesture from Janus, the wind picked up, causing them to lose their grip and fly into the distance.

"He's abandoning his own men!" Virginia gasped.

All of the energies contained within the ancient ruin converged on a single point 

"Look!" Maya shouted, and pointed at the shrine. There was a flash, and an object appeared and floated in front of Janus. It looked like some kind of sheath for a weapon, and it pulsed rhythmically as if it was alive. Virginia doubled up as a bolt of pain and fear hit her in the chest, and she could hear her friends doing the same.

"Ungh?" complained Jet.

"What is this pressure?" Clive groaned out.

"It almost feels as if…" Virginia started.

"…the mediums are trembling in fear?" Gallows finished as the pain and fear vanished as suddenly as it had started.

"That's the Eternal Sparkle's true form," Maya gasped. "A symbol of power from ancient folklore--an artifact of the demons… It's the notorious lance that violates life… The Dark Spear, Glumzamber!"

"That's a spear…?" Virginia asked. "That thing?"

"I guess so…" Maya replied. "And all this time I thought the Eternal Sparkle was some kind of gem or precious metal…"

"You said there was neither good nor evil here, right? But all I feel is a dark and evil presence…"

"Then what do you suggest we do? Summon a superhero to kick his butt? Tell me where we can find his defender of Justice!"

"I'm sure there's a defender of Justice out there somewhere. If not, then… I'll become the superhero!" She took careful aim, and shot the Eternal Sparkle out of Janus', causing him to flinch. "I ran into the wasteland knowing little, but I still considered myself a Drifter. Becoming a Drifter had always been my dream… A Drifter that would help people in need, and bring down evil. But that just wasn't the case… The actions of a Drifter speak neither good or evil… This misconception almost robbed me of the will to fly… But even so, I still want to be a Drifter! I don't care if there's no justice… That's something I'll have to find on my own as I traverse the wasteland! Finding justice is my goal and is what keeps me going. I have found my answer! I don't want to see sad memories engraved in people's hearts anymore!"

"So…" Janus growled in anger. "When I stab you with this bayonet, how loud will you scream?"

"What, you think I'm that stupid?" asked Virginia, and took careful aim.

"Dammit…" Janus said as she realized where she was aiming. Virginia fired. The bullet smacked into the ground. Cracks cobwebbed out from the ground and surrounded Janus. "I was so close… I let it slip away from my hands… Heh heh heh… But it's not over yet." The ground started to shake as the cracks widened. "There's so much I want to do. I can't let it end here… I'm not satisfied!" As Janus screamed in anger and raised his ARM, the ground collapsed under him, dropping him into the room below.

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Virginia dropped from the last piece of rubble. The elevator had been blocked by rubble, but fortunately the pile of rubble reached high enough to make a convenient path down. She glanced around, finding no sign of Janus, and turned to face Maya and her party.

"I see you found an answer." Maya said, and hesitated. "But it's really not… That was just your declaration of wanting to find and answer. In any case, you sure place a lot of value on something that's so unreliable."

"Justice may be unreliable, but still…" Virginia hesitated herself. "I want to make it my priority out in the wasteland. I stand firm on that belief. "

"I don't get you." Maya said, and shrugged.

"So what's next for you?" Virginia asked.

"I don't want to get involved with what just happened, that's for sure," Maya said, and rolled her eyes. "I'm only interested in gems." She started to walk out, but paused at the door. "You better watch yourself, you here? Someone as green as you shouldn't get involved in a cause as lofty as justice. You'll end up dead."

"Okay…" Virginia said, too tired to take offense. "You take care, too."

"We might be enemies the next time we meet…" Maya warned.

"Well, until then, let's be on the same side." Virginia said. Maya rolled her eyes again, and led the way out.

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Time passed. The rubble covering the elevator shifted slightly, accompanied by a groan. As the dust motes danced in the light from the windows, a large piece of rubble finally shifted, allowing a battered, dirty and bruised Janus to flop out of the rubble onto his back.

"Ughhhh… Dammit! My body aches all over…" he complained. He looked up from his wounds, and glanced around the room. "Dario! Romero! You blokes here? Dammit all!" He was turning to his injuries, when a weird humming noise filled the room. "Huh? Is that you, Dario? Romero…?" Three figures, one women and two men cloaked in white robes, walked into the room, and watched Janus. "Oh… It's you blokes…" Janus said, nervously. "Sorry… I screwed up… But I promise I'll complete the next assignment. I won't let anyone get in my way next time. I… I… Actually, it was Dario and Romero that screwed up… Not me…"

"Was it a mistake for us to manifest power to one who does not understand it's true meaning?" the robed woman asked, apparently to herself. As she spoke, a green ,'alien'-like creature dropped from the ceiling. The Eternal Sparkle was clasped within its arms.

"Ugh… I see…" Janus said. "So you had this watchman recover the Dark Spear from me, eh? How could I have been so careless…"

"Yes," the robed man who could best be described as a 'Slickster' said. "Balaz has reported everything. About your grand scheme, your actions…"

"How vulgar, boorish, and shameless…" The robbed women said. Slickster held out his hand, which began to glow.

"This will be a fitting end for your reckless behavior…" The glow brightened, until the glare filled the room.

"No… wait…" the third person said. Slickster's spell faded away as the other man stepped forward. His face was partially covered by a mask and he was holding the Eternal Sparkle. "Why did you seek Glumzamber…?" Janus managed to shake his head as masked man walked up to him. "For power…?"

"Y-Y-Yeah…" Janus managed to stutter, his voice clouded with fear. The masked man placed his hand within the Eternal Sparkle, and due a black, jagged spear out of it. On the side of the spear's oversized head, a yellow eye gleamed with hidden power.

"This is the incarnation of the power you seek…" The masked man said. "The Dark Spear Glumzamber… I deem you worthy." He raised the spear above Janus' head. "Accept…" He thrust the spear through Janus' chest.

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Miles away, wild animals looked up at the unholy scream that filled the air…

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Legal Notes: Wild ARMs 3 and the associated characters belong to Media Vision/Contrail.

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Author's note: The first chapters done finally. Not much to say…oh, I intend to keep fairly close to the script, so you probably won't see anything that you don't have to do in the game, like the Secret Garden quest for example. This is mainly to keep this as short as possible. I'll also change one or two things for continuity effort, such as calling the Dark Spear Glumzamber for example. Anyway… here I go with the next chapter. See you.


End file.
